Augmented Reality Made Easier...With Contact Lenses

Wearable tech continues to make its way into our everyday lives. Technology developer Innovega recently debuted its latest iOptik product, which consists of modern-looking eye glasses and a pair of contact lenses, that allow the wearer to view not only their immediate surroundings but also their personal digital media.

iOptik glasses

Here's the twist: the wearer can use the special contact lenses just as they would any pair of contacts. They can place them in their eyes and their vision will be normal. It is only after the wearer dons the iOptik glasses that they will have a truly immersive, augmented reality experience with the iOptik system.

View of the world using the iOptik system

This article provides a great overview of this new technology.

World Exploration Becomes a Game

Created by an exclusive team at Google, Ingress is a game that gets you out of the house and into the world. This mobile app, driven by Google maps, encourages users to move through their own neighborhood or locale to play the game. The game directs players to find objects, capture territories and ally with others to complete required tasks. The Android version can be downloaded at the Google Play store, and the game will be available for iOS devices sometime this year. Learn more about it here.

Do you think the release of this game signals the beginning of a trend where more game developers seek to incorporate GPS-like systems into gameplay?

For Your Eyes Only

The idea of controlling a game using your eyes only has been around for awhile. Recently the companies Tobii and SteelSeries developed new, affordable game gear that uses eye tracking to make the game play experience more captivating. Learn more about it in this story.

It is worth noting that this device is actually a less expensive version of the excellent LC Technologies Eye Follower. The Tobii EyeX tool kit for developers is being sold for the low price of $95. 

Would you like to play a game using your eyes only? Just be sure to have some Visine on hand!